A final season for a public golf institution
After 72 years, Stone-E-Lea Golf Course in Attleboro, Massachusetts, is approaching the end of its run. The Lapierre family, which has operated the course since 1954, has confirmed that it will close on December 31, 2026. As of October 30, that date is still in the future: the course is completing its final season, not being reported as already closed.
The property at 1411 County Street is a public 18-hole golf course, traditionally welcoming recreational players, juniors and families without requiring club membership. The club has emphasized affordability and familiar local features including ponds and old stone walls. That accessibility is central to the story, quite apart from the site's real-estate value.
A 140.74-acre property is now on the market
In late October, commercial brokerage 128 CRE formally advertised the property for sale, listing 140.74 acres and positioning it as a potential large-scale redevelopment opportunity. Its marketing material points to the neighboring Attleboro Industrial Park, exposure to Interstate 95 and existing municipal utilities.
A sale listing is not a completed sale. Nor is marketing land for redevelopment equivalent to obtaining planning consent. The brokerage says a future purchaser could work with the City of Attleboro on the property's best use. The public listing does not identify a purchaser, a formally approved construction project or a final development scheme. Reports that the land is already destined for housing or an industrial project would therefore go beyond the verified facts.
Three generations of family ownership
The course's official history traces its founding in 1954 to Edward Lapierre Sr. and his family. Ownership and daily operations passed through three generations. When the family announced the final season in August 2026, it explained that the health difficulties of third-generation operator David Lapierre made continuing the business particularly difficult. David died on August 21, 2026. The family also thanked the staff and golfers who had supported the course across decades.
The loss extends beyond a familiar name on a scorecard. For a community, the disappearance of a reasonably priced public course can mean one fewer accessible place to learn, practise and play. The question of what will replace Stone-E-Lea, however, remains unanswered.
What is established as of October 30
Confirmed: the December 31 closure date, the 140.74-acre sale listing, the course's public status and its 72-year family history. Not established: a completed transaction, a permitted redevelopment project or an earlier closure date.
Primary sources: 128 CRE property listing; Stone-E-Lea's family history and closure statement; official course description. The new listing was reported by GolfNewsRI on October 29.
